


A Genie Called Steven

by SpecialHell



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Genie/Djinn, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst with a Happy Ending, Background Bucky & Sam friendship, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Genie Steve Rogers, M/M, Non-Serum Steve Rogers, Pre-World War II Bucky Barnes, Turkish Heritage Bucky Barnes, mention of OC death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-18
Updated: 2019-08-18
Packaged: 2020-09-06 21:08:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20297959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpecialHell/pseuds/SpecialHell
Summary: Bucky finds a ring in his grandmother's house. Steve appears when he rubs it.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little housekeeping from me: the mythology in this fic is based on the Turkish folklore of the Djinn (as opposed to Iranian, etc) and it almost entirely taken from the Phantasmagoria. In the last chapter I go off-book because I need to make the story work haha.
> 
> Babaanne = Grandmother (paternal)

Bucky rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands. Dried tears were sticking his eyelashes together and making him itchy. With a heavy sigh, he sat down on a nearby footstool.

It was almost done.

Just one more box to go through, and then he could call the house clearance guys to take the rest away. Taking a deep breath, Bucky opened the final box. Inside was mostly the same sort of things he’d been finding all week. Some odd handkerchiefs, partial china sets, and candlesticks of various sizes and shapes. The only thing that looked different was resting in one corner of the box, underneath a handkerchief with gold thread borders.

It was a box.

Small, worn leather, no hinges which made Bucky think it must be old. Fascinated, he took it out to look closer. Carefully pulling off the lid, Bucky peered inside and saw a ring. It wasn’t flashy. Just a thin, black band. Obsidian, maybe? It almost looked like there were words carved inside it. Bucky took the ring out and slipped it onto his index finger. It was a perfect fit, and Bucky smiled to himself. This was something he could keep. Something tangible, to remember her by. Babaanne had always been his favourite person. Holding it up to the light, Bucky ran his thumb over the surface, trying to make out the markings he could see glinting in silver.

_“What is it that you desire?”_

Bucky almost fell off his seat at the sound of an unfamiliar voice. He turned quickly to see someone standing behind him. The man was small and pale, with sharp features, and no shirt. Bucky blinked a few times; just to be sure he wasn’t hallucinating from lack of sleep.

“Who… Who the hell are you?”

The sharp blue eyes that were pinning Bucky became clouded in confusion for a second.

“You summoned me.” The stranger nodded towards the ring on Bucky’s hand.

Bucky’s gaze darted from the blond man to the ring and back again. He barely managed to get out a strangled “What?”

“You touched the ring with longing in your heart. You called me here. What do you desire?”

Bucky’s eyes grew wide as he started to piece the information together. Babaanne had talked about her home country to him over the years. She’d spoken with glimmering eyes of magic and mystery. Bucky had always been fascinated, but as he’d grown up he regarded her stories as fables designed to entertain small boys. This couldn’t be real.

“You’re a genie,” Bucky whispered.

“Jinni,” the man corrected with a smile. “You may call me… I believe the closest in modern language would be, Steven?”

“Steven,” Bucky couldn’t help giggling. “Steven the genie… sorry, jinni.” Steven didn’t seem offended; he didn’t react at all. His bright blue eyes were piercing as they regarded Bucky. Clearing his throat, Bucky stood and faced Steven. “I’m Bucky.”

“Bucky.”

God, the way Steven said his name made Bucky’s insides do funny things.

“So… do you live in here?” Bucky held up his hand bearing the ring. Steven’s brow creased in confusion.

“I live in Djinn… The ring is what summons me.” Steven’s eyes moved from the ring back to Bucky. “Are you not versed in the lore?”

“It’s New York in 2019. Nobody is _versed in the lore_.” Bucky could feel himself becoming hysterical. “Genies aren’t real. My grandmother told me these stories about the old magic, but she’s dead now, and I have no idea what’s happening to me!”

Steven seemed unaffected by Bucky’s outburst. Bucky fell silent; all energy having left him. Steven didn’t speak; just stood in the same spot and continued looking at Bucky. With a sigh, Bucky moved past Steven and slumped down into the couch. Steven turned so that he was once again facing Bucky, as impassive as ever.

“So, what? Do I get three wishes now?” Bucky finally broke the silence, but he wasn’t looking at Steven. If he’d been looking, he would have seen the confusion on the jinni’s face.

“Name what you desire, and I will provide.”

Bucky’s laugh was hollow as he met Steven’s eyes again. “Pretty sure I’m supposed to wish for your freedom. That’s the honourable thing to do, right?”

“Freedom?” Steven didn’t understand. “From what?” 

“From the whole… ring… deal.” Bucky waved his hand around again, and Steven seemed to catch on.

“You mean mortality? To become human again.”

“Again?” Bucky asked. Steven opened his mouth to start explaining, but Bucky raised a hand. “Will you sit down, please?”

Steven nodded and sat next to Bucky.

“Oh, shit. Was that a wish? Am I down to two now?”

Steven’s eyebrow was raised in what Bucky was sure amounted to judgement. “Where did you learn such things?”

“Disney, mostly.”

“As long as you bear the ring, I am yours to command.”

“That’s a lot of responsibility,” Bucky gave a tired smile. “Can I call you Steve?”

“If you’d like.”

“Ok, Steve. Let’s start from the beginning. Explain to me exactly what you are and what the deal is here. Pretend I am very dumb.”

The quirk of Steve’s lip suggested he wouldn’t need to pretend that hard.


	2. Chapter 2

Bucky took a deep breath and rubbed his face with his hands.

“Ok, so let me see if I got this.”

Steve had spent the last half hour explaining the situation. Somehow they’d moved closer to each other on the sofa, and Bucky’s hand accidentally brushed Steve’s bare shoulder as he began to recap.

“You’re a jinni - singular. The plural is djinn, but Djinn is also the place where you come from. You used to be human, and when you were dying you were granted this form of immortality. This ring calls you to whoever is wearing it, as long as they have a desire that needs to be fulfilled. You look the same now as when you were alive. ‘Djinn’ isn’t like an evil form of a genie. Good people and bad can summon a jinni.”

“Yes.”

“Ok, and the whole 3 wishes thing is nonsense, just like the idea that wishes need to be really specific.”

“I grant your deep desires. Words mean little to me.”

“I guess that thing about there being limitations is probably bullshit too, right? Like, you don’t have a clause that says you can’t kill anyone.”

Steve actually laughed at that. Bucky admired the way his face lit up with mirth. “Most men call upon djinn for command of an army. Many ancient worlds were conquered with the power of a jinni.”

“How about making someone fall in love?” Bucky’s mouth was dry as he asked. “Or resurrection.”

“Both are impossible,” Steve admitted with a tilt of his head.

“And your freedom? I mean, making you mortal?”

“It can be done, although I have never seen it. The method is long lost.”

Bucky took another deep breath and nodded. They fell silent for a moment, before Steve spoke up.

“Do you want to tell me your desire?”

“I…” Bucky looked over at Steve, and a wave of emotional fatigue came over him. “I just really don’t want to be alone. Can you come home with me?”

“Of course.”

“You’ll probably need a shirt,” Bucky stood up and Steve followed. “Do I need to find you one, or can you just…” Bucky made wavy hand motions to indicate magic, and Steve smiled, amused. He nodded, and a second later was wearing a plain white shirt.  
  


The ride back to Bucky’s apartment didn’t take long. Steve was silent the whole way, and Bucky took some of the time to call up the removal guys for Babaanne’s house. By the time they arrived, the impassive nature of Steve’s presence was playing on Bucky’s mind. Steve stood in the entranceway of Bucky’s apartment, inhumanly still, while Bucky closed and locked the door. 

“So…” Bucky broke the silence. Steve turned those impossibly blue eyes towards him. “This is it.” Bucky swept an arm around to encompass his kitchen and living areas. The apartment was small, but he was usually alone so it didn’t really matter. Steve remained silent, and Bucky began nervously rubbing the back of his neck. “So, uh… I guess we should talk?”

“You have concerns,” Steve observed.

Bucky’s humourless chuckle was followed by a sighed “Yeah.”

Steve led the way into Bucky’s living space, and sat down on his couch. Bucky followed along; facing Steve when the jinni turned his body towards Bucky.

“Tell me.”

It was such a simple command, and Bucky could feel the tears welling up behind his eyes.

“The ring… It belonged to my grandmother. She never wore it, but she told me stories about her home country. It almost feels like you being here, when I’m feeling so alone is like, I don’t know, like her final gift to me, y’know? And I should be happy - it’s not every day you find out _magic is real_ but I just… I mean, I don’t know how long you’ve been away from this world, but slavery’s kind of a big ‘No’ and the idea of you being here just because you have to be… I just don’t think Babaanne would be very proud of me.”

There was silence for a moment. Bucky wiped away the errant tears that had escaped while he talked. Steve appeared to be considering what Bucky had said.

“Your concern lies in my servitude.”

“Yes.”

“Does it help to know that I am enjoying your company?”

Bucky’s eyes grew wide. “Uh… Y-yeah. It does.”

Steve nodded as if that was the end of it. Bucky was still unsure.

“Can I…” Bucky took a deep breath and tried to compose himself. “If I ask you… If my desire is for you to defy me, how would that work?”

Steve’s lip quirked in that half-smile that was fast becoming Bucky’s weakness. “Clarify, please.”

“Ok, so, say… If I wanted you to stick around here, with me, for a while, but… but I don’t want you to be… I want it to be a… friend… thing.”

The half-smile morphed into a fond expression. Whether it was the sentiment, or all the hesitations that caused it, Bucky wasn’t sure.

“And where would my defiance lie?”

“I don’t know… I just mean… I don’t want you to be waiting on me or anything. I want us to be equal, y’know?”

“I understand. I will remain in this realm, but I will only respond to your most heartfelt desires. There will be no… waiting on you.”

Bucky gave a timid smile at this. Maybe it could work out after all.


	3. Chapter 3

Six months passed in relative harmony. Steve stayed with Bucky at home, and when Bucky was at work Steve wandered the neighbourhood. Often Bucky would return home to find Steve had picked up something he found fascinating, or had a new book. The way Steve was adjusting to the mortal world made Bucky’s heart sing.

Physical touch had been established early on. Steve had accompanied Bucky to his grandmother’s funeral. When they got home, Bucky was exhausted in every possible way, and he must have been telegraphing the desire to be held so loud because even though he tried to keep himself together, Steve used all his unnatural strength to pull Bucky to the couch and arrange their limbs into a tangle. Despite his small frame, Steve’s grasp was implacable, and Bucky had no choice but to sink into it. Bucky was sure Steve had never seen a ring-bearer cry quite this much.

Steve didn’t need to sleep, but about a month in he decided to start going to bed with Bucky. The trepidation Bucky showed at this made Steve smile fondly. He calmly explained that it made him feel good to be close to Bucky, and Bucky had no argument against that. Waking up with Steve pressed against his side was something that Bucky wished he could get used to. Yet there was always the thought, quiet but insistent in the back of his mind, that said Steve wasn’t his to keep. Eventually Steve would get bored and want to go home to Djinn. Bucky may hold the ring but he knew, if the time came, he would honour Steve’s wishes and let him go.

By month three, Bucky had started researching the djinn. He found old texts that spoke of jinni and their influences on human history. He emailed scholars and paid to download academic papers. Bucky tried to convince himself it was just for education - he wanted to be able to share Steve’s world as much as Steve was sharing his - but in the quiet moments when he was honest with himself, Bucky could admit that he was looking for one thing. He wanted to know how to make Steve human. He wanted to be able to offer Steve the choice to stay with him.

It took three and a half months of being in Steve’s company for Bucky to realise he was in love.

Bucky’s turbulent emotions came to a head at the six month mark. He finally tracked down the information he was looking for. The last known engraving of the original jinni mythology from the region Babaanne was from. It had been viewed by only one English speaking scholar, who had written a translation that received limited print. Sam Wilson was a friend of Bucky’s, and he worked in museum acquisitions. When Bucky had mentioned to Sam about his newfound interest in the folklore of his ancestors - conveniently leaving out the jinni that currently lived in his apartment - Sam had jumped on board immediately. He loved to share knowledge, and the temptation of an undiscovered relic never failed to get him fired up. When Bucky received the email from Sam, with the subject line ‘_OMG I found it!!!?!??!’_ his heart leapt into his throat. Bucky quickly scrolled through Sam’s excited account of who he’d had to bribe and where he’d finally got the information - noting and appreciating the humorous references scattered throughout - but he hesitated at the attachment. The only known translation of the ancient Sidetic text. This was finally it. He could have the chance to talk to Steve; to be honest about his feelings and offer Steve the chance of a life together. Taking a deep, fortifying breath, Bucky clicked the attachment.

  
Steve had decided to go walking, and he got home later than usual. Bucky was already there, but something was wrong. All the lights were off, and Bucky was sitting on the floor with his back pressed up against the edge of the sofa.

“Buck?”

The way Steve said his name - that shortening of his nickname that only Steve used - usually filled Bucky’s heart with light, but right now all it did was pull a distressed sob from his chest. In an instant Steve was on the floor next to Bucky, his large warm hands pressed into Bucky’s biceps as he tried to look at Bucky’s face. 

“What is it? What’s wrong?”

“I’m sorry,” Bucky whispered, refusing to meet Steve’s gaze. “I’m so sorry.”

“James, talk to me.”

It wasn’t a request, and Bucky had learned early on that when Steve was the one telling him what to do, Bucky would always comply.

“I tried,” tears were falling freely from Bucky’s eyes now. “I wanted to find a way… I wanted us to be… I couldn’t tell you before. It was unfair to you, but now…”

“Shh, it’s ok,” Steve pulled at Bucky’s body until his head was resting on Steve’s chest. “Take a breath and tell me what’s going on, ok?”

“I found it,” Bucky choked out. “I found the way to make you human. I wanted to…” Bucky pulled himself away from Steve to meet his eyes in the dim of the evening light. “I love you, Steve. I wanted you to stay with me. I wanted you to have the choice. I love you, and I spent all this time trying to find the answer, and I found it, but…”

“Tell me,” Steve breathed.

“The only way to make you human is to… It’s to kill someone else. It’s a life for a life, and I love you but I can’t… I couldn’t do that.”

“Oh, Bucky,” Steve almost cooed as he swept the tears from Bucky’s face. “I know you can’t. I would never ask you to. I love you.”

Bucky didn’t have a chance to react to the admission. Steve leaned forward and pressed their lips together. Bucky could taste the salt of his own tears, but it was nothing compared to the feeling to finally sharing the truth with Steve. Bucky pulled Steve into an embrace and they continued to kiss until all the light had left the room.

“It’s late,” Steve said as reluctantly pulled away. “You should get some sleep.”

Bucky was about to protest, but Steve pulled them both to their feet and began steering them towards the bedroom.

“Will you still be here when I wake up?” Bucky asked, still fragile from the day, as Steve wrapped the blanket around them both.

“Of course,” Steve smiled and pressed a kiss to Bucky’s forehead. “I love you, and I’m not going anywhere.”

Bucky’s breathing finally evened out after a few moments. Steve whispered promises into his hair and Bucky drifted off to sleep.  
  


When Bucky woke up, there was a strange feeling in his chest. Not just the hangover that came from an evening of crying, but also a stillness. It took a moment to remember that Steve was still there. That Steve _loved him_. It took longer still to realise that the weight at his side wasn’t moving. Usually Steve moved as soon as he felt Bucky wake up. Tilting his head to look down, Bucky realised why Steve wasn’t moving. 

He was asleep.

Bucky’s mind went into overdrive. Djinn didn’t sleep. Was something wrong? Did Steve shut down somehow? Bucky reached over and ran his hand down Steve’s shoulder. Still as warm and solid as ever. The touch roused Steve, who turned his head to kiss Bucky’s neck before opening his eyes.

“Steve?”

“Yeah, Buck?”

“You were, um? You were sleeping.”

Steve blinked a few times and focussed his eyes on Bucky.

“I was?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh.” Steve rolled over onto his back and stretched out his limbs. “I’m hungry.”

“You’re… hungry?”

Shock dawned on Steve’s features as confusion creased Bucky’s brow.

“Do you have that inscription? The one you were talking about last night?”

Bucky thought for a second, before giving a short nod and reaching over onto the floor where his phone was still in his jeans. He opened up the email and handed the phone to Steve. The silence was unbearable for the few minutes it took Steve to read through the email and the attachment. To Bucky’s surprise and continued confusion, Steve began to laugh. It was a bright, happy sound. Bucky couldn’t help smiling, even without having a clue what was going on.

“Steve?”

Steve managed to get his laughing down to a giggle, and he looked over to Bucky.

“I love you,” was all he said at first. Bucky was about to ask, but he was pulled in to a long, blissful kiss. When they parted, Steve handed Bucky his phone back. “Whoever did this translation doesn’t know very much Sidetic.”

“Nobody does,” Bucky pointed out. “It’s a lost language.”

Steve tilted his head to indicate this was a fair point.

“So what does it actually say?”

“The rest of it was right,” Steve smiled. “He just got one word wrong. It’s not ‘life’ - it’s ‘soul’.”

“A soul for a soul? How is that any different.”

Steve’s bark of laughter was joyful and Bucky came easily when Steve pulled him back down to the blankets for a hug.

“There’s more than one way to give your soul to someone, James Barnes.”

It took Bucky a moment to understand, but when it hit him the laughter flowed free.

“I love you,” Bucky sighed, pressing a kiss to Steve’s nose.

Steve scrunched his nose in response and mumbled. “Love you too.” Bucky’s contentment turned to giggles when he heard the added whisper of “I want pancakes.”


End file.
